In the presence of the First Lady of China, Mme. Peng Liyuan, the New York-based Juilliard School president Joseph W. Polisi announced plans for The Tianjin Juilliard School, part of Juilliard’s expansion in Asia, Sept. 29.

The new school, which will offer a U.S.-accredited master’s degree, is aiming for a 2018 opening in a facility designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the same firm responsible for the expansion of Juilliard’s New York home in 2006-09.

Pending final approval, The Tianjin Juilliard School will comprise multiple components: a graduate program offering a Master of Music degree from Juilliard in the areas of orchestral performance, chamber music performance and collaborative piano; a pre-college program; an instrumental training program; adult education; and public performances and exhibits.

The Tianjin Juilliard School will also be open to a range of arts enthusiasts, with instrumental lessons for people of all ages and abilities, weekly public performances, and an interactive exhibit space.

“I believe that maintaining Juilliard’s prominence in the global performing arts landscape will depend on a robust series of programs to engage with a wide range of learners in different parts of the world,” president Polisi said in a statement. “Together with the roots we will build in Tianjin, our educational apps for the consumer market, our program for primary and secondary school students, and future digital products are all part of this strategy. All of these programs are structured in a way that not only will preserve, support, and enhance the world-class performing arts education that Juilliard offers in New York, but provide new kinds of work for our alumni, build communities of support around the world, open access to new pools of talent, and position Juilliard as a leader in global performing arts education.”

Juilliard will initiate a program to bring members of its faculty to China for master classes and performances at the Tianjin Conservatory of Music and at other Chinese conservatories. *

The Juilliard School, founded in 1905, is a world leader in performing arts education. Juilliard’s mission is "to provide the highest caliber of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers, and actors from around the world so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens."